Foster Care & Adoption

Providing safe, temporary homes for vulnerable children

Foster care is a service to our community’s most vulnerable children, and placement of children in qualified foster homes is Oakland Family Services’ highest goal. Our agency believes that all children have a right to a family, and foster parents give them caring, stable homes until problem situations in their own homes are resolved. Reunification of biological families is the primary goal of foster care, and foster parents are key members of a dedicated, interdisciplinary team that works in harmony to meet a child’s physical, emotional, social and developmental needs.

To qualify as a foster parent, individuals must be:

•  at least 18 years old;

• emotionally, physically and financially stable, and;

• able to meet the needs of the child or children.

Foster parents can be single or couples and can rent or own an apartment, mobile home, or single-family home. There is no minimum education or income requirement to become a foster parent.

To become licensed for foster care, individuals must complete a background check and home study, become licensed through the State and follow the licensing rules of the State. The process involves attending an orientation and ongoing training; being flexible to accommodate weekly “parenting time” visits between foster children and their biological families, which usually occur at the agency; and bringing foster children for counseling appointments.

Oakland Family Services foster care services include foster home licensing; foster care placement; Parent Resource for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) training; and ongoing foster family support and resources.

Want to learn more about becoming a foster parent? Click to read our Foster Care and Adoption FAQs or call 248.858.7766.

Providing loving, permanent homes for children

Oakland Family Services’ adoption program provides loving, stable and permanent homes to children of all ages who are legally available for adoption. Our agency believes that bringing families and special children together can be a positive, fulfilling choice for everyone involved. We also understand that successful adoption recognizes the importance of the birth family for the child. Our caring, committed adoption staff offers personalized, responsive adoption assistance to families to support them in deciding what type of adoption is best for them.

To qualify as an adoptive parent, a person must:

• be at least 18 years old;

• be in good emotional and physical health and;

• have a safe and stable home environment.

Adoptive parents can be single or couples and can rent or own an apartment, mobile home, or single-family home. There is no minimum education or income requirement to adopt.

As part of the adoption process, applicants attend an orientation and participate in training and a pre-placement assessment. Oakland Family Services works to match families with a waiting child and arrange pre-placement visits. Our agency also provides assistance with interstate adoption.

Want to learn more about adoption through Oakland Family Services? Click to read our Foster Care and Adoption FAQs or call 248.858.7766.